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Glaciers

04.02.2009 | 22:30

Glaciers in mainland Norway have importance for hydropower production, climate research and tourism, but are also a source of natural hazards. Glacier influence on river discharge and hydropower production has resulted in an extensive glacier measurement record.

Storbreen, August 2014. Mass balance measurements have been taken at Storbreen since 1949, the second longest continuous record in the world. Image: Liss M. Andreassen.

New inventory catalogues hazardous glacier-related events in Norway

The 2014 report, the 'Inventory of glacier-related hazardous events in Norway', records all knows hazardous-events, mainly jøkulhlaups (GLOFs), ice avalanches, glacier length changes, and mountaineering accidents. These events can have significant impacts, and cause a threat to human life.

New mapping of glacier change for all of NorwayFor the first time, glacier area and length changes for all of Norway have been mapped. A decrease in glacier area of - 11 % in the last ca. 30 years are recorded, corresponding to an area reduction of 326 km2. The northernmost glaciers show the highest retreat rates, and the general pattern in Norway reveals retreating glaciers. More details can be found in the paper: Glacier area and length changes in Norway from repeat inventories.

Norwegian glaciers are melting back according to new 2014 measurementsMeasurements in 2014 show that of the 38 monitored glaciers, 33 have retreated, and five are unchanged. The largest retreat was at Bødalsbreen, a glacier connected to Jostedalsbreen, which melted back 230 m. Gråfjellsbrea at Folgefonna retreated by 120 m. Read more in the press release (in Norwegian).

The Norwegian glaciers continue to retreatRead more about length change observations in 2013 here.

The inventory of Norwegian glaciersBy using Landsat satellite imagery from 1999-2006 the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has mapped the extent of glaciers in mainland Norway and an inventory is now available. About 2700 km2 of mainland Norway, 0.7% of the land area, is presently covered by glaciers and perennial snow. more about the inventory

Glaciological investigations in NorwayThe series 'Glaciological Investigations in Norway' has been published since 1963, and has been in English since the 2001 volume. In this report results from measurements of mass balance, length change, glacier velocity, micro-meteorology and other investigations undertaken in 2010 are described. A list of the reports since 1963 and information on ordering is available here.